Welcome to The Purse Forum.

baglici0us · Aug 11th, 2009, 05:41 PM

Hi everyone,

I've just won a gorgeous chloe bag on ebay (chloe small heloise :)) and in the auction, it said that payment is paypal preferred. An hour after the auction ended, I received an email from paypal from this address paypal.comservice@www.paypal.com saying that the seller is unable to receive any payments through paypal and that I have to pay using western union.

'Payment method approved for this transaction: Western Union Money Transfer. If you already made the payment through Paypal your account will be credited back when the seller's account is re-established. A bid or Buy It Now purchase on eBay is considered a contract and you are obligated to purchase the item.'

Is that a normal occurrence? I feel uncomfortable using Western Union as I have never done so before. Any advice would be very welcome indeed.

Arienne · Aug 11th, 2009, 06:02 PM

NO NO NO!

It sounds like a scam, especially since they ask you to pay by Western Union (scammers love Western Union). Forward this e-mail to PayPal at spoof@paypal.com and they'll confirm it. Whatever you do, don't transfer any money other than by the agreed method, Paypal.

luv2shophandbag · Aug 11th, 2009, 06:38 PM

NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Report that to ebay! Report it to Paypal! Don't do anything! Don't even respond to that message!

jaymax4 · Aug 11th, 2009, 06:48 PM

About 2 yrs ago, also w/a Chloe bag on ebay I had a similar experience. I am ashamed to admit that I did not know any better and paid the $ to a Western Union acct in the UK and was totally scamed. PLEASE DO NOT GO THROUGH WITH THE TRANSACTION!!!

qwerty234 · Aug 11th, 2009, 08:03 PM

I agree with everyone else - please DO NOT listen to that email.

If you log into paypal or ebay you will NOT see the message as it is a fake message. I nearly got hurt by this before.

ALWAYS check out ebay or paypal accounts when you get strange messages and never click on the links in the email - log into your ebay account and pay by paypal through there, you will be fine. And you'll have a lovely bag soon!

Forward the meessage to paypal and ebay to let them know you recieved a spoof email, it didn't come from paypal.

baglici0us · Aug 11th, 2009, 08:43 PM

Thanks everyone for the quick response!

I have contacted the seller and she told me to not pay by western union on any account and to use paypal only. It is definitely a scam email and I'm glad I didnt get fooled by it. I nearly believed it though - it was so official looking and it was 7am in the morning for me - not the best time for my brain to work lol.

Anyway here's a pic of part of the email for reference in case this happens to anyone else..

kdo · Aug 11th, 2009, 09:04 PM

Also, DO NOT click on any links in that email!!! Total scam!

chloehandbags · Aug 11th, 2009, 09:10 PM

Originally Posted by baglici0us

Thanks everyone for the quick response!

I have contacted the seller and she told me to not pay by western union on any account and to use paypal only. It is definitely a scam email and I'm glad I didnt get fooled by it. I nearly believed it though - it was so official looking and it was 7am in the morning for me - not the best time for my brain to work lol.

Anyway here's a pic of part of the email for reference in case this happens to anyone else..

Well, your brain is obviously far cleverer than you give it credit for; even at 7.00am!

Well done for spotting the scam and thanks for posting the offending email, so we know one of the things to look out for!

Arienne · Aug 12th, 2009, 04:10 AM

The scariest thing is the scammers knew you'd won that item and managed to contact you somehow.

Thanks for bringing this to everyone's attention!

bag*mad*bags · Aug 13th, 2009, 02:50 PM

this happened to me a while back!! i expect the sellers account has been hacked like mine was! do not pay with western union! i would also be wary about paying all together!
make sure paypal cover you if the bag fails to arrive!

Lescoy · Aug 13th, 2009, 05:19 PM

^^ I think the OP has had good contact now with the seller - and there is not an issue.

baglici0us · Aug 14th, 2009, 06:04 AM

The seller has been excellent so far. She told me straight away not to pay and has been extremely professional. I've paid and she's shipped the bag to me. Can't wait for my heli! :-)

scarcici · Aug 14th, 2009, 10:20 AM

OMG

! NEVER PAY WITH WESTERN UNION

!!!!

bag*mad*bags · Aug 14th, 2009, 03:17 PM

Originally Posted by baglici0us

The seller has been excellent so far. She told me straight away not to pay and has been extremely professional. I've paid and she's shipped the bag to me. Can't wait for my heli! :-)

keeping my fingers crossed for you!

qwerty234 · Aug 15th, 2009, 05:27 AM

Originally Posted by baglici0us

The seller has been excellent so far. She told me straight away not to pay and has been extremely professional. I've paid and she's shipped the bag to me. Can't wait for my heli! :-)

It's so good to hear

Geettign that email can really freak you out over the transaction, but sounds like you had the same experience as me - seller knew to get you to pay with paypal and the transaction went fine

I wish we could figure out how the scammers know to send that email - I got the exact email you did minutes after the auction ended for a bag I won last year.

Make sure you share some lovely photos with us when you get your heli too!

Aug 11th, 2009, 05:41 PM	#1
baglici0us OP Member Joined: Jan 2009 Location: Australia Posts: 174	Has this happened to anyone before? Paypal asking to use Western Union instead. Hi everyone, I've just won a gorgeous chloe bag on ebay (chloe small heloise :)) and in the auction, it said that payment is paypal preferred. An hour after the auction ended, I received an email from paypal from this address paypal.comservice@www.paypal.com saying that the seller is unable to receive any payments through paypal and that I have to pay using western union. 'Payment method approved for this transaction: Western Union Money Transfer. If you already made the payment through Paypal your account will be credited back when the seller's account is re-established. A bid or Buy It Now purchase on eBay is considered a contract and you are obligated to purchase the item.' Is that a normal occurrence? I feel uncomfortable using Western Union as I have never done so before. Any advice would be very welcome indeed.

Aug 11th, 2009, 06:38 PM	#3
luv2shophandbag Shallow & Obsessed Joined: Feb 2007 Location: Hmm... Good Question Posts: 3,308	NOOOOOOOO!!!!!! Report that to ebay! Report it to Paypal! Don't do anything! Don't even respond to that message!
	__________________ www.ayinchaya.com Handmade in the US with the finest skins from Italy. Purse Forum members take 25% off!

Aug 11th, 2009, 06:48 PM	#4
jaymax4 jaymax4 Joined: Oct 2008 Posts: 6	About 2 yrs ago, also w/a Chloe bag on ebay I had a similar experience. I am ashamed to admit that I did not know any better and paid the $ to a Western Union acct in the UK and was totally scamed. PLEASE DO NOT GO THROUGH WITH THE TRANSACTION!!!
jaymax4 jaymax4 Joined: Oct 2008 Posts: 6

Aug 11th, 2009, 08:03 PM	#5
qwerty234 aka. Mica Joined: Apr 2007 Location: Australia Posts: 3,539	I agree with everyone else - please DO NOT listen to that email. If you log into paypal or ebay you will NOT see the message as it is a fake message. I nearly got hurt by this before. ALWAYS check out ebay or paypal accounts when you get strange messages and never click on the links in the email - log into your ebay account and pay by paypal through there, you will be fine. And you'll have a lovely bag soon! Forward the meessage to paypal and ebay to let them know you recieved a spoof email, it didn't come from paypal.
	__________________ Mica is on a ban with her bag ban buddy!! Last bag purchase: 26th October 2009 No more until 2010! Current record to beat - 3 and a half months without buying a bag My Wedding Pics on TPF

Aug 11th, 2009, 09:04 PM	#7
kdo Member Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 5,062	Also, DO NOT click on any links in that email!!! Total scam!
kdo Member Joined: Nov 2008 Posts: 5,062	__________________ Dreaming of: RM Black Resort MA, Glazed Sunshine & Emerald Chloe Shoes & Boots

Aug 11th, 2009, 06:02 PM	#2
Arienne Member Joined: Jun 2009 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Posts: 143	NO NO NO! It sounds like a scam, especially since they ask you to pay by Western Union (scammers love Western Union). Forward this e-mail to PayPal at spoof@paypal.com and they'll confirm it. Whatever you do, don't transfer any money other than by the agreed method, Paypal.

Aug 11th, 2009, 08:43 PM	#6
baglici0us OP Member Joined: Jan 2009 Location: Australia Posts: 174	Thanks everyone for the quick response! I have contacted the seller and she told me to not pay by western union on any account and to use paypal only. It is definitely a scam email and I'm glad I didnt get fooled by it. I nearly believed it though - it was so official looking and it was 7am in the morning for me - not the best time for my brain to work lol. Anyway here's a pic of part of the email for reference in case this happens to anyone else..

Aug 12th, 2009, 04:10 AM	#9
Arienne Member Joined: Jun 2009 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Posts: 143	The scariest thing is the scammers knew you'd won that item and managed to contact you somehow. Thanks for bringing this to everyone's attention!

Aug 13th, 2009, 02:50 PM	#10
bagmadbags Member Joined: Sep 2007 Location: hampshire, uk Posts: 5,402	this happened to me a while back!! i expect the sellers account has been hacked like mine was! do not pay with western union! i would also be wary about paying all together! make sure paypal cover you if the bag fails to arrive!
	__________________ My very own website... www.mylittleboutique.co.uk

Aug 13th, 2009, 05:19 PM	#11
Lescoy Chloe & Mulberry Mod Joined: Apr 2007 Location: Scotland Posts: 17,020	^^ I think the OP has had good contact now with the seller - and there is not an issue.
	__________________ Do follow my Siberian Cats on their UPDATED Blog - http://chantaris.blogspot.com Supreme Grand Champion Alter MUSRAFY ALTAI Leading Siberian Alter in World 21/11/2009

Aug 14th, 2009, 06:04 AM	#12
baglici0us OP Member Joined: Jan 2009 Location: Australia Posts: 174	The seller has been excellent so far. She told me straight away not to pay and has been extremely professional. I've paid and she's shipped the bag to me. Can't wait for my heli! :-)

Aug 14th, 2009, 10:20 AM	#13
scarcici Member Joined: Jul 2007 Location: Spain Posts: 3,036	OMG ! NEVER PAY WITH WESTERN UNION !!!!
	__________________ Raquel

Welcome to The Purse Forum.

Our Purse Forum, or TPF, is the #1 online social network for everything designer handbag related. Join over 200,000 enthusiastic members in this friendly community and start engaging in the discussion today.